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The Masterpiece Society (episode)
The Enterprise tries to save a "perfect" colony from destruction, but the assistance causes damage of its own. Summary :"Captain's log, Stardate 45470.1. The ''Enterprise has been diverted to the Moab sector to track a stellar core fragment from a disintegrated neutron star. Our science teams have been asked to monitor the planetary disruptions it may cause." While the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|''Enterprise]] crew is observing the fragment, they find that Moab IV, one of the planets it would affect as it passes by, is inhabited by Humans and that an artificial environment has been created there. When they contact the inhabitants, after a reluctant response by Aaron Conor, they arrange to beam down. The away team explains to Conor and the inhabitants that given the nature of the stellar core fragment evacuation may be inevitable. However, the colonists explain that it is in fact imperative that they remain on the planet and preserve the colony. It is explained to Commander William T. Riker and Counselor Deanna Troi that this is a genetically-engineered society; their ancestors came from Earth to create a perfect society, believing that through controlled procreation they could create people without flaws and those people would build a paradise. They have evolved beyond Humanity. They also explain that they have achieved a fully integrated existence with their environment, thanks also to their master design. They cannot separate themselves from it without irreparably altering who and what they are. Martin Benbeck, the interpreter of the colony founders' wishes, is the one who continually emphasizes the importance of preserving the balance of their society. He dislikes the away team's presence. Conor, on the other hand, is more receptive: he understands the necessity of them being here, and being the diplomat he is, welcomes them, and allows Geordi La Forge to work with Hannah Bates – their top astrophysicist – to find a solution. He even begins to find a liking in counselor Troi. However, he reiterates that this is a perfect existence for them which they will not give up easily. When Bates shows La Forge a design for a multiphasic tractor beam, he believes the Enterprise could use it to move the fragment just enough to reduce the effects below dangerous levels. However, he would need her assistance in setting it up, which means she would have to leave the colony and beam up to the Enterprise. Benbeck strongly objects, arguing that her absence would create a dangerous imbalance. Insistent though he is, Conor overrules him, and she is beamed aboard. :"Captain's log, supplemental. Commander La Forge and Hannah Bates have spent three days trying to find a way to adjust the path of the core fragment. If they do not succeed in the next 48 hours, we will need to begin evacuation." While discussing the matter with Captain Picard, Troi notes that some of the colonists would chose to risk death rather than leave. Picard, who is opposed to the very idea of genetic engineering, has a hard time buying that. He thinks it is a bad idea whose time has long passed. He advises Troi to use Conor's openness to suggestions and reasonable attitude, as well as her personal admiration for him, to help him see the reality of the situation and convince others to do the same. Meanwhile, as Bates and La Forge work on their multiphasic tractor beam, they find that it would overload some of the power conduits. As they try to come up with a solution, La Forge takes his VISOR off, and she sees his non-functioning eyes. He bitterly observes that he probably wouldn't be here, were he born on their world. When she asks about how it works, he explains it to her and suddenly has an idea as how to solve the problem: he suggests using the same technology that his VISOR utilizes. He chuckles, saying that it would be an irony if the answer to all of this is in a device created for a blind man who never would have existed in their society. Down on the planet, during a piano recital, there is an earthquake. It is the first tremor of what would become many. Counselor Troi is strongly attracted to Conor, almost falling in love. That's when she realizes that this is all wrong. Conor is obviously changed, ever since the Enterprise has been in touch with the colony, and she is concerned that this is affecting his decision making. He seems willing to throw everything away for her, not just for the survival of the colony. While they are discussing the situation, La Forge and Bates beam down on the planet stating that a team of fifty engineers from the Enterprise is needed to reinforce the structure and solve their problem. Conor agrees. :"Captain's log, supplemental. The ''Enterprise has moved to a parallel course with core fragment. We must adjust its trajectory by a minimum of 1.2 degrees to ensure the colony's safety." Slowly, the ''Enterprise pushes the fragment away, almost losing life support in the process. Conor is pleased, as is everyone on the colony. :"Captain's log, supplemental. The stellar core fragment has passed safely out of the Moab system. The colony was shaken by powerful tremors, but fortunately there were no injuries, and only minor damage was reported." It is only now, after most of the engineering crews have left, that the damage has been done. When Bates indicates a breach in the artificial biosphere, and goes to the lab to analyze it, La Forge points out that there is no such breach for his VISOR's positronic scan would have detected it. He concludes she faked the incidence. Bates admits she did that because of her encounters outside her world: if she's so brilliant, she wonders, why didn't she invent starships or deflector shielding. As a result, she requests asylum, and Riker indicates she may not be the only one wishing to leave. Captain Picard himself finally takes this opportunity to meet Aaron Conor. Benbeck immediately starts attacking Picard, saying all of these people wanting to leave is his fault. Conor decides to talk to Captain Picard alone, and explains he didn't want to listen to Martin from the first moment they were hailed. He understands the desire to leave, with a curiosity about the outside world, and feels responsible for it happening. He asks that Picard refuse them passage, since his leaving will solve the problem he created with his arrival. Picard points out that this is simplistic. He cannot deny their human rights, whatever other consequences it may have. However, he is willing to try to dissuade them from leaving. Unfortunately, they fail to persuade the people to stay. The Enterprise takes them, 23 in all, as Conor wonders about what his mistake was. And Picard points out this is the best reminder of the Prime Directive, but Riker reminds Picard that because they're Human, the Prime Directive does not apply. Despite that knowledge, Picard concludes they were as destructive as any core fragment. Memorable Quotes "You're up early." "I'm still on Enterprise time." : - Aaron Conor and Troi "My VISOR's positronic scan would have detected the leak. Its molecular-pattern enhancer would pick up even the smallest crack." "The damn thing doesn't miss much, does it?" : - La Forge and Hannah Bates "They’ve managed to turn dubious scientific endeavor into dogma." : - Picard "They’ve given away their Humanity with this genetic manipulation. Many of the qualities that they breed out – the uncertainty, self-discovery, the unknown – these are many of the qualities that make life worth living. Well at least to me. I wouldn’t want to live my life knowing that my future was written, that my boundaries had been already set." : - Picard on genetic engineering Background Information * Both Ron Canada and Dey Young's next Star Trek appearances are in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Canada plays Advocate Ch'Pok in and Young plays Arissa in . * The piano piece played by the young pianist at the colony is Chopin's Prelude in E minor (Op. 28 No. 4). * This is John Snyder's second appearance on TNG. His first appearance was as Romulan Centurion Bochra in . * According to the Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, the story had previously passed through five other writers' hands before Michael Piller took the script. The main problem was how to define a genetically engineered society. Video and DVD releases *Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 57, . *UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment): Volume 5.5, . *As part of the TNG Season 5 DVD collection. Links and references Guest stars * Ron Canada as Martin Benbeck * John Snyder as Aaron Conor * Dey Young as Hannah Bates * Sheila Franklin as Ensign Uncredited co-stars *Joyce Robinson as Gates *John Thibodeau as a Moab IV colonist *Guy Vardaman as Darien Wallace *Unknown performers as ** Matthew ** Operations division crewwoman References administrator; artificial biosphere; asteroid; asylum; blindness; Chopin; colony; conception; DNA; defensive shield; dogma; earthquake; egg; emitter array; engineering team; eugenics; genetic engineering; geneticist; Genome colony; governor; graviton generator; hertz; Humpty Dumpty; laborer; matter-antimatter warp reaction system; matter-energy transport; microscopic lifeform; Moab IV; Moab system; molecular pattern enhancer; moon; neutron star; nursery rhyme; plant; plasma; poet; poetry; positronic scan; Prime Directive; procreation; Richter magnitude scale; scientist; shield generator; stellar core fragment; subspace relay; suicide; terahertz; terawatt; theoretical physics; toxicity; tractor beam; tractor beam generator; multiphase tractor beam; VISOR; visual cortex |next= }} Masterpiece Society, The de:Das künstliche Paradies es:The Masterpiece Society nl:The Masterpiece Society